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Prior to the start of the 2011 Baseball season, the majority of “experts” selected the Boston Red Sox to be the hands down favorites to win the World Series. Now that the Red Sox have started the season 0-6, many are no doubt jumping off the bandwagon. The real question, however, should the members of Red Sox Nation hold open those October nights, or is it time to start looking towards next year.

Based on analysis of the World Series Winners 1980 – 2010 losing their first six games has put the Red Sox in a hole, there is some light still at the end of the tunnel. 16 of the last 30 World Series Champions (47%) each had losing streaks of at least six games over the course of the season. 37% (11 of 30) had losing records after five games and 20% (6 of 30) had losing records after 10 games – most recently the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies who started off 4-6 and finished the season 92-70.

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Or…What Would Your Founding Fathers Say?

It has been over a year since I posted anything in this blog. The biggest reason is that upon returning to work, I found I had less time to ponder the “big issues” in life, such as why there are so few Johnny Cash tribute bands. Well…it was that and the fact that it really cut into my efforts to set the world record on

Bejeweled Blitz. However, the recent “Koran Burning” being organized by Terry Jones in Gainesville, FL has lit a small fire within me – pardon the pun.

This current situation, combined with the recent legislative efforts in Arizona requiring immigrants to carry identification documents at all times, and the ongoing debate about whether a mosque should be built near Ground Zero, are examples of everything wrong in America.

Perhaps rather than burning books – and increasing the level or rhetoric – might I suggest that sometime over the next two weeks (or even better on 9/11 itself) make an effort to locate your local Islamic house of worship. Stop by. Introduce yourself. Become educated.

I take issue with the talking heads on FOX News and elsewhere that seem to have the ability to channel the thoughts of our “founding fathers”. As it relates specifically to the Islamic faith and our founding fathers, here are some interesting facts – with hyperlinks as available

Thomas Jefferson was a staunch proponent of religious freedom in America including those of Muslims. He was also responsible for bringing the concept of “Separation of Church and State” into the public domain in a letter to the Danbury Baptists on January 1, 1802. In his writings on the religious freedom movement in Virginia, Jefferson explicitly mentioned Muslims. His autobiography includes the following “[When] the [Virginia] bill for establishing religious freedom… was finally passed… a singular proposition proved that its protection of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the preamble declares that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by inserting the word ‘Jesus Christ,’ so that it should read ‘a departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion.’ The proposed insertion was widely rejected, indicating that the groups included in the Bill’s protection should include “the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo and infidel of every denomination.”

In 1776, On June 7 Richard Henry Lee, made a resolution in the Second Congressional Congress know known as Lee’s Resolution, which urged that the American colonies declare independence. “True freedom,” Lee asserted, “embraces the Mahomitan and the Gentoo (Hindu) as well as the Christian religion.”

In 1777, Morocco – a predominantly Muslim nation- was the first country to formally recognize and seek diplomatic relations with a tiny former British colony called “The United States of America”.

In 1785, George Washington stated a willingness to hire “Mahometans,” as well as people of any nation or religion, to work on his private estate at Mount Vernon if they were “good workmen.”

Thank you all for coming. Please be seated. Ramadan Mubarak. Laura and I are pleased to have you here for our seventh Iftaar dinner. Tonight we celebrate traditions of Islamic faith, which brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people. For Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan is a special time of prayer and fasting. It is a time for charity and service to those less fortunate. It’s a time to celebrate Islam’s learned and vibrant culture, which has enriched civilization for centuries.

Ramadan is also a good time for Americans of all faiths to reflect on the values we hold in common — including love of family, gratitude to the Almighty, devotion to community, and a commitment to religious liberty. The freedom of worship is central to the American character. It’s the first protection in the Bill of Rights. It holds together the fabric of American society — supporting every individual’s right to practice his or her beliefs without fear.

Today, our world is at war with violent extremists who seek to tear the fabric of our society — and stop the advance of freedom in Muslim societies around the world. They attack holy sites, destroy mosques and minarets, and kill innocent men, women and children — including Muslims who do not share their radical views. They believe that by spreading chaos and violence they can frustrate the desire of Muslims to live in freedom and peace. We say to them, you don’t represent Muslims, you do not represent Islam — and you will not succeed.

America is standing with mainstream citizens across the broader Middle East. We stand with nearly 12 million Iraqis who voted for a democratic future for their children. We’re standing with Afghan people, as they defend their young democracy against the Taliban and al Qaeda. We’re standing with the Lebanese people, who raised the banner of a Cedar Revolution to reclaim their freedom and independence. We’re standing with all who seek the blessings of liberty — and the peace that freedom brings.

Americans have a history of standing with Muslims facing suffering and hardship — and it’s a proud history. Our country defended Muslims in Bosnia and Kosovo after the breakup of Yugoslavia. We supported Kuwait after it was invaded by Saddam Hussein. Americans came to the aid of victims of devastating earthquakes in Pakistan, India, and Iran. Americans responded with urgency and compassion to the wreckage of the tsunami in Indonesia and Sri Lanka and Thailand. We’re rallying the world to confront the genocide in Sudan, and deliver humanitarian aid for those in dire need. And we support the establishment of a Palestinian democracy to live side by side with Israel in peace.

As you break your Ramadan fast at this Iftaar dinner, let us renew our faith in the universality of freedom. Let us celebrate the millions of Muslims that we are proud to call American citizens. And let us honor the many Muslim nations that America is proud to call friends.